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Vocab: Countries & languages — B2
Countries & languages vocabulary at B2 level.
Maskulin Feminin Neutrum Plural
die Amtssprache — official language
An Amtssprache has official legal or administrative status. A country can have several Amtssprachen, and this does not necessarily mean that all residents speak each one.
Die Amtssprache des Landes ist Deutsch.
The country’s official language is German.
das Land means the country, and Deutsch means German. Die Amtssprache is nominative as the subject; des Landes is genitive to show which country, and ist stands in position two.
Die Regierung bestimmt die Amtssprache.
The government determines the official language.
die Regierung means the government, and bestimmt means determines. Die Amtssprache is accusative because bestimmen takes a direct object; the finite verb bestimmt is in position two.
Die Behörden arbeiten in der Amtssprache.
The authorities work in the official language.
die Behörden means the authorities, and arbeiten means work. Der Amtssprache is dative because in expresses the language used here, not movement; the finite verb arbeiten stands in position two.
Die Regeln der Amtssprache sind kompliziert.
The rules of the official language are complicated.
die Regeln means the rules, and kompliziert means complicated. Der Amtssprache is genitive because it identifies whose rules they are; the finite verb sind is in position two.
In der Schweiz gibt es vier Amtssprachen.
There are four official languages in Switzerland.
die Schweiz means Switzerland, and vier means four. Amtssprachen is accusative after es gibt, while in der Schweiz is dative because it expresses location; the verb gibt is in position two.
bundesdeutsch — Federal German; relating to Germany
Bundesdeutsch is a formal adjective meaning relating to Germany or the Federal Republic of Germany, often in contrast with Austrian or Swiss usage. It is usually used without comparison, but comparative and superlative forms are grammatically possible when a degree of specifically German character is intended.
Die bundesdeutsche Politik steht vor großen Herausforderungen.
German federal politics is facing major challenges.
die Politik means politics, and große Herausforderungen are major challenges. Bundesdeutsche is an attributive adjective before a feminine nominative noun with die, so it takes the ending -e.
Diese Regelung ist heute bundesdeutscher als früher.
This regulation is more specifically German today than it was in the past.
diese Regelung means this regulation, heute means today, and früher means formerly or in the past. Bundesdeutscher is predicative after ist and is followed by als to introduce the comparison.
Diese Formulierung klingt am bundesdeutschsten.
This wording sounds the most specifically German.
diese Formulierung means this wording, and klingen means sound. Am bundesdeutschsten is a predicative superlative after klingt; the am ...-sten form has no adjective ending for a following noun.
Diese Regelung ist typisch bundesdeutsch.
This regulation is typical of Germany.
diese Regelung means this regulation, and typisch means typical. Bundesdeutsch is predicative after ist, so it has no adjective ending.
In dem Artikel werden bundesdeutsche Begriffe erklärt.
Terms used in Germany are explained in the article.
der Artikel is the article, Begriffe are terms, and erklärt werden means are explained. Bundesdeutsche is an attributive adjective before a plural noun with die understood, so it takes the ending -e.
die Russlanddeutsche — Russian-German woman
This is an adjectival noun: the adjective form is used as a noun and is capitalised. The masculine counterpart is der Russlanddeutsche, and the plural for both genders is die Russlanddeutschen.
Die Russlanddeutsche arbeitet heute in Berlin.
The Russian-German woman works in Berlin today.
heute means today, and arbeitet means works. Die Russlanddeutsche is nominative because it is the subject; the finite verb arbeitet stands in position two.
Ich treffe die Russlanddeutsche morgen am Bahnhof.
I am meeting the Russian-German woman at the station tomorrow.
treffe means meet, morgen means tomorrow, and der Bahnhof is the railway station. Die Russlanddeutsche is accusative because treffen takes a direct object; the finite verb treffe is in position two.
Ich helfe der Russlanddeutschen beim Ausfüllen des Formulars.
I am helping the Russian-German woman fill out the form.
helfe means help, beim Ausfüllen means while filling out, and das Formular means form. Der Russlanddeutschen is dative because helfen takes a dative object, and des Formulars is genitive after the noun phrase meaning “the filling out of the form”.
Das Auto der Russlanddeutschen steht vor dem Haus.
The Russian-German woman’s car is in front of the house.
das Auto means car, steht means is standing or is parked, and vor dem Haus means in front of the house. Der Russlanddeutschen is genitive because it shows possession; the finite verb steht is in position two.
Die Russlanddeutschen feiern gemeinsam ein Familienfest.
The Russian-German women are celebrating a family celebration together.
feiern means celebrate, gemeinsam means together, and das Familienfest means family celebration. Die Russlanddeutschen is plural and nominative as the subject; the adjective-based noun takes the plural ending -en.
Die Russlanddeutsche erzählt gern von ihrer Kindheit in Russland.
The Russian-German woman likes telling people about her childhood in Russia.
erzählt means tells, gern means gladly or likes to, and die Kindheit means childhood. Die Russlanddeutsche is the nominative subject, while von takes the dative in von ihrer Kindheit.
Schweizerische — the Swiss Confederation (institutional shorthand)
Schweizerische is a substantivized adjective used as an institutional name in a specific context, especially for the Swiss Confederation. It is formal and context-dependent; in ordinary speech, use die Schweiz for the country.
Die Schweizerische ist ein föderaler Staat.
The Swiss Confederation is a federal state.
föderaler Staat means federal state. Schweizerische is a substantivized adjective used here as a short institutional name for the Swiss Confederation; it is feminine with die, and the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Die Geschichte der Schweizerischen ist komplex.
The history of the Swiss Confederation is complex.
die Geschichte means the history, and komplex means complex. der Schweizerischen is a genitive phrase expressing whose history it is; the substantivized adjective takes the feminine genitive ending -en and follows der.